Ptilothyris serangota Meyrick, 1932

Park, Kyu-Tek, Mey, Wolfram, Koo, Jun-Mo, Prins, Jurate De & Cho, Soowon, 2019, Revision of the genus Ptilothyris Walsingham, 1897 (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Lecithoceridae), with descriptions of eight new species from Africa, Zootaxa 4567 (2), pp. 201-235 : 212

4. Ptilothyris serangota Meyrick, 1932

( Figs. 7 A–I)

Ptilothyris serangota Meyrick, 1932: 205 . TL: Uganda. [NHMUK]

Ptilothyris serangota ab. cyanea Ghesquière, 1940: 107 . syn. nov.

Diagnosis. Adult ( Figs. 7 A–C). Forewing length 9–10 mm. Ptilothyris serangota is superficially similar to the type species, P. purpurea , in pattern, but it can be distinguished from the latter by the white hyaline patch on the hind wing, which is extended longitudinally from near base to near apex. Male abdomen ( Fig. 7I ) has spinous zones on tergites; with a pair of long hair-pencils along the anterior margin of segment VIII, twice longer than length of segment VII. Female abdomen is not modified as above.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 7 D–H). Uncus broadened distally, fan-shaped, slightly emarginated mesially along caudal margin. Basal plate of gnathos trifurcate; median lobe semi-ovate, slightly longer than the lateral lobes, and often exceeding caudal margin of uncus; lateral lobes heavily sclerotized, curved mesiad; median process strongly curved beyond middle, acute at apex. Valva elongate nearly parallel-sided basally; costa slightly expanded near base, concave medially; cucullus elongate, produced apically, subtriangular, with dense setae along lower margin. Dorso-caudal processes of juxta asymmetrical, left one short, triangular; right one long, sickle-shaped, slightly curved inwardly; with a minute triangular process on left lateral margin and a well-developed ventral process on right lateral margin near base. Vinculum band-like, well sclerotized. Phallus very slender, narrowed apically, about the same length of valva; cornutus absent ( Figs. 7E, H ).

Material examined. [NHMUK]: 1♂ (holotype), Uganda, M36, Masuba[?] Rd., 3 iv 1931, G.H.E. Hopkins, 3 iii 1949, gen. slide no. BM-9133/Clarke, Ptilothyris serangota , TYPE, E. Meyrick, det., M3305; 1♂, Kampala, 16 vi 1931, H. Hargreaves; Brit. Mus. 1939-70; Ptilothyris serangota Meyr., E. Meyrick det.; 1♂, Uganda, Kampala, HH, 22 xii [19]30, Ptilothyris serangota , 2/1, E. Meyrick, det. In Meyrick Coll,; 1♀, Kampala, 14. xii. 1934 G.H.E. Hopkins, Brit. Mus. 1937-286, Ptilothyris serangota Meyr., E. Meyrick det.; 1♀, Catelle Rd., 31 i 1932, G.H.E. Hopkins, Ptilothyris serangota , 2/2, E. Meyrick, det. In Meyrick Coll.; 1♂, Ghana, Bia N.P. 170–640 m, Bonga Camp. 6˚33ʹN, 3˚5ʹW, 23 i 2009, leg. U. Dall’Asta; De Prins Coll. BMNH (E), 2014-125. [RMCA]: 1♂, DR Congo, Rutshuru, vii 1937, det. J. Ghesquière, Ptilothyris serangota Meyr. , ab. cyanea Ghesq., 1940 , R. Det. K. 4409. [MfN]: 1♂, Uganda, Mpigi, Mpanga Forest, 25–30 xi 2014, leg. W. Mey, gen. slide no. CIS-7070.

Distribution. Uganda, Ghana, DR Congo.

Remarks. In the collection of RMCA, a male specimen labeled as “ TYPE ” determined as caerulea Ghesquière, 1940 is deposited. We are sure that the name of “ Ptilothyris serangota Meyr. ab. caerulea Ghes., 1940” was erroneously written by Ghesquière. The name caerulea Ghesquière on the label is probably a name erroneously written, instead of cyanea Ghes. in the publication. This is probably the same kind of mistakes by Ghesquière, 1940 as noted in P. porphyrea . The name, cyanea Ghes. , is synonymized with P. serangota Meyrick herein.

The right caudal projection of an additional specimen ( Figs. 7F, G ) is shorter than that of the type, but it is considered as an infraspecific variation.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Ptilothyris serangota Meyrick. A, Holotype, male, in NHMUK; B, Antenna, specimen from Uganda (same as 7C); C, Male from Uganda; D, Male genitalia, holotype, BM slide no. 9133; E, Phallus; F, Male genitalia (specimen same as 7C), gen. slide no. CIS-7070; G, Juxta; H, Phallus; I, Abdomen, with hair-pencils.